Well-drilling machine.



PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905.

A. KLAY. WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Attorneys PATENTED OUT. 10, 1905.

A. KLAY.

WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor.

Attorneys Witnesse g :nonbv! a sauna co mow-mnacmwsns, msmaron. a c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WELL-DRILLING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application filed March 30,1905- Serial No. 252,902.

To all 107mm, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW KLAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bluffton, in the county of Allen and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful \Vell-Drilling Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to well-drilling apparatus for drilling and pumping Artesian wells, oil-wells, and the like, and has for its object to provide improved mechanism for raising and lowering the drill and pump rods in a simple and efficient manner.

The power employed for operating the machine is fluid-pressure, preferably steam, and in this connection it is an important object of the invention to provide for controlling the steam -actuated piston, so as to maintain a steady, uniform, and effective operation of the machine in an exceedingly simple and inexpensive manner.

It is also proposed to balance the weight of the pump or drill rod inasimple and effective manner, to cushion the return or elevating movement of the rod, and to provide for checking any sudden dropping of the elevating mechanism due to breakage or failure to work on the part of any portion of the machine.

\Vith these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view ofa drilling and pumping apparatus of the present invention. Fig. 2is an enlarged plan section on the line 2 2.0f Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail front elevation. Fig 5 is a top plan view. Fig. 6 is a detail plan section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a similar view on the line 7 T of Fig. 4. Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view of the controlling mechanism, parts being broken away to show the spring-latch therefor.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in each and every figure of the drawings.

The present machine includes a lower upstanding cylinder 1, designed for use in connection with the balancing of the weight of the drill and the drill-rope, and an upper steam-cylinder 2, alined above the cylinder 1 and of less diameter than the latter, there being an open-work supporting-frame 3 rising from the top of the cylinder 1, with the cylinder 2 mounted upon the top thereof. \Vithin the cylinder 1 there is a plunger 4, and in the cylinder 2 there is a piston-head 5, the latter and the plunger being connected by .a piston-rod 6, working through a suitable stuffing-box 7 in the top of the frame 3. Fixed to the piston-rod 6 is a cross-head 8, which projects in opposite directions beyond the frame 3 with its ends connected to upright rods 9, working in vertically-alined guides 10, 11, and 12, carried, respectively, by the top of the cylinder 1, the top of the frame 3, and the top of the upper cylinder 2, said rods working endwise through the guides and rising a suitable distance above the top of the upper cylinder. Above the top of the uppermost cylinder the rods 9 are connected by a segmental cross-head 13, there being a forked arm 14 straddling the cross-head and pivoted thereto midway between the rods 9, as indicated at 15.

When the machine is in operation,the arm 14 occupies a position midway between the rods 9 and is of a length to project beyond the lowermost cylinder 1. 1n the outer end of the arm there is an upright bifurcation 16, across which extends a pin 17 for detachable engagement by a hook 18, from which the drill-rope (not shown) depends. The arm 14 is held in its operative position by a removable key 19, passed through corresponding openings 20 and 21 in the cross-head 13. This arm is also capable of being swung to one side, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, to permit of the unobstructed removal of the sand-pump line and the drill'rope.

As hereinbefore indicated, it is proposed to balance the weight of the drill and the drill-rope, and this is accomplished through the medium of the lower cylinder 1 and its plunger or piston 4, the former being in communication with a suitable source of fluidpressure--as, for instance, a tank 22, having a supply connection 23 and a pipe connection 24 with the lower end portion of the cylinder 1. This pipe 24 pierces the side of the cylinder 1 at a suitable distance above the bottom thereof and is provided with a valvecasing 25, the port 26 of which is controlled by a vertically-movable gateor valve 27, which is provided with a small port 28, designed for registration with the larger port 26 of the casing. A substantially L-shaped by-pass 29 is provided in one wall of the cylinder Lleading from the port 26 into the extreme lower portion of the cylinder 1 below the lowermost limit of the plunger 4. A stem 30 rises from the gate 27 and is provided with a shoulder 31 above the casing 25, with a helical spring 32 embracing the stern and hearing against the under side of the shoulder and the top of the casing to yieldably maintain the gate elevated, with the port 26 open and the pressure from the tank 22 operating against the under side of the piston 4 tomaintain the latter elevated, and thereby balance the weight of the drill and the drill-rope. The stem 30 rises for a considerable extent above the shoulder 31, and above said shoulder 31 is another shoulder 33, which supports a helical spring 34, there being a tubular casing 35 embracing the spring, with its lower end open and slidably embracing the shoulder 33, the sleeve or casing being provided with a top 36, resting upon the top of the spring 34 and pierced to slidably receive the stem. The spring-supported casing or sleeve 35, is alined below the path of movement of a trip member 37, carried by a suitable bracket 38, mounted upon the adjacent end portion of the cross-head 8, the lower end of the trip being provided with a fork 39 to straddle the top of the stem 30 and strike the top of the sleeve 35, so as to depress the stem 30 and the gate 27, and thereby partially close the port 26 in a manner and for the purpose as will be hereinafter described.

For the control of the steam-actuated piston 5 there is an upper steam-chest 40 and a lower steam-chest 41, the slide-valves of which are connected by a valve-stem 42, projecting a suitable distance below the lower chest 41, with its lower end portion working in a guide 43, carried by the frame 3. For the manual control of this valve-stem there is a crankarm 44, loosely connected with the stem and rigidly carried by a sleeve 45, rotatably mounted upon a fixed shaft or bar 46, carried by the frame 3, that end of the sleeve which is opposite the crank-arm being notched or provided with a seat 47 for the detachable reception of a projection 48, carried by a rotatable and slidable hub member 49, mounted upon the fixed shaft or bar46 independently of the sleeve and carrying acrank-handle 50. Normally the crank-handle 50 is out of engagement with the sleeve 45 in order that said sleeve may oscillate upon the shaft 46 under the influence of the valve-stem 42 without corresponding movement on the part of the crank-handle. By engaging the crankhandle with the sleeve 45 the latter may be manually rotated to move the valve-stem 42 in either direction, so as to reverse the action of the piston 5 and to entirely out off the supply of steam.

In the operation of the machine steam is admitted through the chest 41 to the under side of the piston 5, whereby the piston-rod 6, the rods 9, and the drill will be elevated. When the piston 5reaches its upper limit, the Valve-stem 42 is automatically shifted and steam admitted to the upper side of the piston 5, thereby driving the latter downwardly with 'suflicient rapidity to permit of the required dropping of the drill, these operations continuing so long as the machine is in operation. It will here be explained that the compressed air or other fluid pressure which enters the cylinder 1 is forced back into the tank 22 during the downward movement of the piston v4, wherefore it will be understood that the compressed air works back and forth between the tank and the cylinder, and the operating mechanism is thereby cushioned. Should the tank 22 burst, the pistons and other parts operating therewith will quickly drop below the ordinary limit, whereupon the forked portion of the trip 37 will contact with the yieldable head of the stem 30, formed by the springpressed sleeve 35, thereby depressing the valve-stem and closing the port 32 by means of the gate 27 before all of the air can be displaced from the cylinder 1, which cushions the downward movement of the piston 4 and prevents damage to the machine, as would otherwise occur. When the gate 27 is closed, there is a slight vent through the port 28 of the gate which permits the mechanism to gradually sink to its lowermost limit without damage thereto. It will of course be understood that the downward path of movement of the trip 37 ordinarily terminates short of the top of the stem 30 to prevent closing of the gate 27 at every downward movement of the trip. When the tank 22 has been repaired and pressure restored thereto, said pressure will pass through the small port 28 into the port 26 and through the by-pass 29 to the under side of the piston 4, thereby gradually elevating the latter and restoring the machine to its operative balanced condition. As the cross-head 8 rises under the influence of the balancing pressure the trip 37 is of course removed from the stem 30 and the gate 27 is elevated to its open position by the spring 32, whereupon the machine is in condition for operation without requiring any manual adjustment or resetting thereof.

For the automatic shifting of the slidevalves in the valve-chests 40 and 41 there is a trip-rod 51, depending from one side of the cross-head 13 and working through an extension of'oneof the guides 12, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6 of the drawings. Upon this trip-rod there are upper and lower trip members in the nature of adjustable collars 52 and 53, held to the rod by set-screws and capable of alternate engagement with a crank-arm 54:, carried by the sleeve 45 upon the shaft 1L6, whereby the up-and-down movement of the trip-rod 51 rocks the arm 54: and the sleeve 45 back and forth, and through the medium of the crank-arm L4 and the valve-stem 4:2 the slide-valves 55 and 56 are shifted to automatically reverse the movement of the piston 5, and thereby reciprocate the drill or the pumprod, which is hung from the cross-head13.

To prevent overthrow of the rotatable sleeve 4:5 upon the fixed shaft 46, there is a latch device, as best indicated in Fig. 8 of the drawings, said latch consisting of a swinging arm 57, pivoted at its lower end, as at 58, upon the adjacent portion of the frame 3, with its upper free end provided with a longitudinal socket 59, containing a helical spring 60 and a plunger 61, supported upon the spring and provided in its outer end with a socket 62 to receive the free end of a tappet crank-arm 63, carried by the adjacent end portion of the sleeve 15. hen the sleeve 45 is turned to one limit, it is held there by means of the arm 63, fitting in the socket of the plunger 61, and when the sleeve is rotated in the opposite direction the latch-arm 59 will of course turn therewith, the plunger 61 receding into the arm 59 until the crank 63 passes the vertical, whereupon the spring will force the plunger outward and hold the crank-arm 63 and the sleeve 45 against return movement.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a well-drilling machine, the combina tion with a reciprocatory drill-actuating element, of means for balancing the same consisting of a cylinder, a plunger working therein and connected to the drill-actuating element, a source of fluid-pressure, a common inlet and outlet passage extending between the source of fluid-pressure and the cylinder, and means to close said passage when the fluidpressure is reduced below a predetermined point.

2. In a well-drilling machine, the combination of a lower upright cylinder in communication with a source of fluid-pressure, a plunger working in the cylinder, an upper cylinder supported above the lower cylinder in alinement therewith, a piston working in the upper cylinder, a piston-rod connecting the piston and the plunger, a cross-head carried by the piston-rod, and drill-supporting means connected to the cross-head, the plunger of the lower cylinder operating to yieldably support the piston-rod and the elements connected thereto against the weight of the drill.

3. In a well-drilling machine, the combination of a lower upright cylinder having its lower portion in communication with a source of fluid-pressure, a plunger working in the cylinder and yieldably supported by the fiuidpressure, a drive-cylinder mounted above and l l i in vertical alinement with the lower cylinder, a piston working in the upper cylinder, a piston-rod connecting the piston and the plunger, a cross-head carried by the piston-rod and working between the two cylinders, rods carried by opposite ends of the cross-head and rising above the top of the uppermost cylinder, and means carried by the upper ends of the rods and projected laterally beyond one side of the lower cylinder for the suspension of a drill, the plunger of the lower cylinder operating to yieldably support the piston-rod and the parts connected thereto.

4:. A well-drilling machine having a vertically reciprocating drill actuating element, normally active fluid-pressure mechanism for yieldably supporting the drill-actuating element against the weight of the drill, and means to permit slow escape of the fluid-pressure from said mechanism when the source of pressure is quickly reduced to cushion the fall of the drill-actuating element.

5. A well-drilling machine having a vertically-reciprocating drill-actuating element, fluidpressuroactuated mechanism for normally and yieldably supporting the drill-actuating element against the weight of the drill, a normally open cut-otf to control the escape of fluid-pressure from said mechanism, and a trip controlled by the drill-actuating element for closing the cut-ofi' when the source of fluidpressure is reduced to prevent rapid escape of the fluid-pressure from said mechanism and thereby cushion the fall of the drill-actuating element.

6. In a well-drilling machine, the combination of a vertically-reciprocating drill-actuat ing element, a cylinder having a common inlet and outlet in communication with a source of fluid-pressure, a plunger working in the cylinder and connected to the drill-actuating element for supporting the same against the weight of the drill, a normally open cut-ofl' for the common inlet and outlet, and a trip carried by the drill-actuating element for closing the cut-ofi' when said element drops below a predetermined point by reason of a sudden reduction in the supply from the source of fluid-pressure, thereby to cushion the plunger and the drill-actuating element.

7. In a well-drilling machine, the combination of a drive-cylinder, a piston working therein, a reciprocatory drill-actuating element connected to the piston, a cylinder provided with a common inlet and outlet in communication with a source of fluid-pressure, a plunger working in the cylinder and connected to the drill-actuating element to support the same against the weight of the drill, a slidable cut-ofl for said common inlet and outlet, a spring-pressed stem connected to the cut-ofi' for yieldably maintaining the same open, a spring-pressed follower mounted upon the stern, and a trip carried by the drill-actuating & 801,528

element in position, to strike the follower and In testimony that I claim the foregoing as close the cut-ofi when the supply of fluid-presmy own I have hereto affixed my signature in sure is reduced and the drill-actuating elethe presence of two Witnesses.

ment falls below a. predetermined point, there- ANDREW KLAY. 5 by to prevent rapid escape of the fluid-pres- Witnesses:

sure from the cylinder and thus cushion the PHILIP BUOHER,

fall of the drill-actuating element. H. J. CALL. 

